Mounting structure of a front suspension system

ABSTRACT

A mounting structure for mounting to a vehicle body having oppositely disposed strut towers includes right and left suspension assemblies, a cradle operatively connected therebetween, a vehicle engine and transmission mounted on the cradle and guide means provided on each of the suspension assemblies. The mounting structure is adapted to being mounted as a unit into the vehicle body with the guide means guiding the suspension assemblies into engagement with the respective oppositely disposed strut towers, and suitable fasteners for securing the suspension assemblies to the strut towers. Each strut tower includes outer and inner interconnected, spaced apart wall members separated by support spacers, with a plurality of aligned openings formed through the outer and inner spaced apart wall members, a pair of guide openings formed in the inner wall member, and an opening formed through the outer and inner wall members&#39; central portion. The suspension system includes a wishbone-shaped upper control arm pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the bushings, an A-shaped lower control arm pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the cradle, and a cast metal bracket operatively connected to the upper control arm, with the guide means formed thereon and the fasteners secured thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a mounting structure for a frontsuspension system and, more particularly, to a mounting structure forjoining to a vehicle body both the right and left suspension shocks,springs, control arms, and a cradle therebetween supporting an engineand transmission.

BACKGROUND ART

Heretofore, vehicle suspension systems have generally either beenassembled onto the vehicle in various parts, or individual right andleft assemblies have been pre-assembled and then mounted as individualassemblies onto a vehicle body. Examples of such arrangements are Kamiet al U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,759, Kakimoto et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,002,Murakami U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,703, Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,704, Hewkoet al U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,229, Komatsu et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,074,Finn U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,298. Of these, the Hewko et al and Finnarrangements are attached both to a strut tower and a frame element. Thestrut tower of Hewko et al includes three interconnected, spaced apartwall members.

Hayashi et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,755 discloses a mounting structure formounting a suspension on a vehicle body, including a sheet metal brackethaving bolts for securing the bracket to the body.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved mountingstructure for mounting both right and left suspension assemblies as aunit to the vehicle body.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved mountingstructure wherein the vehicle engine and transmission are mounted on across structure between the right and left suspension assemblies,adaptable to being mounted in the vehicle as part of the unit beingmounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting structure formounting the right and left suspension assemblies as a unit to thevehicle body, wherein each suspension assembly includes a rigid bracketat the upper end thereof, having a pair of locating pins and a pluralityof fastening means for mounting to a tower having outer and inner wallmembers.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference ismade to the following drawings and accompanying description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear end view of the overall mounting structure, includingright and left front suspension systems, and an intermediate cradlesupporting an engine and a transmission, adaptable to being mounted as aunit in a vehicle;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the left side ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the left front suspension system ofthe FIG. 1 structure;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and rear perspective views, respectively, of theFIG. 2 structure;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the FIG. 2 structure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line 6--6of FIG. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a cast metal bracket portionof FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line 8--8of FIG. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the Figure illustratesa mounting structure 10 (FIG. 1) adaptable to being mounted against thefront strut towers 11 (FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 8) of a vehicle body. Themounting structure 10 includes left and right suspension systems 12 and14, respectively, with a cradle 16 (FIG. 1) connected therebetween. Anengine 18 and an operatively interconnected transmission 20 are mountedon the cradle 16.

Each left and right suspension system 12 and 14 includes a shockabsorber 22 including a shock tube 24 having a coil spring 26 mountedtherearound, a piston 28 (FIG. 6) slidably extending upwardly therefromand terminating in a threaded end 30.

A clevis 32 includes a split collar 34 (FIG. 6) and a pair of legs 36and 38 extending downwardly from oppositely disposed sides of thecollar. A threaded fastener 40 is mounted through threaded openings 42and 44 formed on opposite sides of the split 46 in the split collar 34.The fastener 40 serves to tighten the split collar 34 around the lowerend of the shock tube 24. A pair of aligned openings 48 and 50 areformed through the distal ends of the legs 36 and 38, respectively.

The ends of the legs 36 and 38 straddle and are pivotally connected toopposite sides of a mid portion of an A-shaped lower control arm 52(FIGS. 2 and 5) by suitable pivot pins 53 (FIG. 2). A steering knuckle54 includes a lower end portion 55 (FIGS. 1A and 2) secured by asuitable fastener 56 (FIG. 1A) to the outer end of the lower control arm52. The upper end portion 57 of the steering knuckle 54 is pivotallyconnected by a suitable fastener 58 to a central portion 59 of awishbone-shaped upper control arm 60. A wheel mounting hub H (FIGS. 2-4)and brake device B are mounted on a face F (FIG. 1A) of the steeringknuckle 54.

The upper control arm 60 includes legs 62 and 64, each leg being formedlongitudinally in an inverted U-shape, having respective outer and innerflanges or walls 66 and 68 (FIGS. 3 and 4), respectively, extendingdownwardly from a top wall 69. The inner flanges 68 straddle the coilspring 26 and aligned openings 70 and 72 (FIG. 5) are formed through therespective distal ends of each set of outer and inner flanges. A cut-out74 is formed in the end of each leg intermediate the outer and innerflanges. The cut-outs 74 straddle downwardly extending legs 76 and 78(FIGS. 2-4 and 7) of a rigid cast metal bracket 80 having a roundcentral body portion 82.

An opening 84 (FIG. 6) is formed through each leg 76 and 78. A bushing86, including a central metal sleeve 88 surrounded by a rubber cylinder90, is mounted through each opening 84. A bolt 92 extended through eachinner flange 68, the metal sleeve 88, and the outer flange 66, issecured by a nut 94 pivotally retain the upper control arm legs 62 and64 on the bracket legs 76 and 78.

A central aperture 96 and adjacent upper and lower annular recesses 97(FIG. 6) are formed through the central body portion 82. A bushing 98includes a central metal sleeve 100 surrounded by rubber 102 confined inthe recesses 97 and having an annular recess fixedly mounted within theouter peripheral edge of the central aperture 96. A larger annularrecess 104 (FIG. 6) is formed in the lower surface of the central bodyportion 82 concentric with the axis of the central aperture 96.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 6, the piston 28 is extended through themetal sleeve 100, with a nut 106 mounted on the threaded end 30 againstthe upper end of the bushing 98. A collapsible rubber sleeve 108 ismounted around the piston 28, between the lower end of the bushing 98and an upper portion of the shock tube 24, to keep the piston 28 clean.The coil spring 26 is mounted between the annular recess 104 and a mount110 secured around the shock tube 24.

A pair of pointed guide pins 112 and 114 (FIGS. 5-7) are fixedly securedat opposite ends of a top machined surface 116 of the bracket 80. Fourthreaded openings 118 (FIGS. 3-7) are formed adjacent the four cornersof the bracket 80 in the surface 116.

Each lower control arm 52 includes legs 120 and 122 adapted to beingconnected at their ends to a side of the cradle 16. The vehicle engine18 and the transmission 20 are mounted on the cradle 16. An anti-swaybar 124 (FIGS. 1 and 1A) is connected at two mid-points thereof to therespective rear corners of the cradle 16, and at its distal ends to theunder surfaces of right and left steering knuckles 54.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 8, the vehicle's oppositely disposed struttowers 11 are connected at a rear lower end thereof to a side rail 126of the vehicle, and at a forward end thereof to a vehicle load beam,represented at 127. Each strut tower 11 includes outer and innerinterconnected, spaced apart sheet metal wall members 128 and 130. Fourpairs of aligned openings 132 are formed through the outer and innerwall members 128 and 130, positioned so as to align with the fourthreaded openings 118 in the bracket 80. Metal cylindrical supportspacers 134 (FIG. 8) are confined between the outer and inner wallmembers 128 and 130, with an inside diameter 136 thereof aligned withthe diameter of the openings 132. Four bolts 138 are extended throughthe openings 132 and the inside diameter 136 to become threadedlyconnected to the four threaded openings 118 in the bracket 80. A pair ofopenings 140 (FIG. 6) are formed in the inner wall member 130,positioned so as to align with and receive the guide pins 112 and 114.

In production, the left and right suspension systems 12 and 14, thecradle 16, the engine 18, the transmission 20, the anti-sway bar 124,and the wheel mounting hub H are pre-assembled as a mounting structure10. The complete structure 10 is raised as a unit into the vehicle, withthe guide pins 112 and 114 serving to enter the openings 134 in theinner wall member 130. Once in place, the four bolts 138 are insertedand secured as described above, and the cradle 16 is secured to sideframe members (not shown) of the vehicle, and the usual wheels (notshown) are mounted on the mounting hub H.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

It should be apparent that the invention provides an improved mountingstructure for mounting as a unit, the left and right suspension systems,and intermediate cradle-supported engine and transmission into the frontend of a vehicle, guided into place against left and right strut towers.

It should be further apparent that the invention provides a unique rigidcast metal bracket associated with each suspension system, and adaptedto being secured against an inner wall member of a double reinforcedwall strut tower.

While but one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described,other modifications thereof are possible within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. For mounting to a vehicle body having oppositely disposed integral strut towers, a mounting structure comprising right and left suspension assemblies, a cradle operatively connected therebetween, guide means secured on each of said suspension assemblies, said mounting structure adapted to being mounted as a unit into said vehicle body with said guide means guiding the suspension assemblies into engagement with said oppositely disposed strut towers, and fastener means located separate from said guide means for securing said suspension assemblies to said strut towers, wherein each said suspension assembly includes a shock absorber including a shock tube having a coil spring mounted therearound, a piston extending upwardly from the shock tube, and a cast metal bracket having a central aperture including a resilient bushing for receiving said piston therethrough, fastener means on the extended end of said piston, and an annular recess for receiving a resilient support ring, said coil spring being mounted between said resilient support ring and a seat formed around said shock tube.
 2. The mounting structure described in claim 1, and an engine and transmission mounted on said cradle as part of the unit being mounted into said vehicle body.
 3. The mounting structure described in claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a pair of pointed pins.
 4. The improvement described in claim 1, and an anti-sway bar operatively connected between said pair of oppositely disposed suspension assemblies and secured to said cradle.
 5. The mounting structure described in claim 1, and oppositely disposed, downwardly extending legs formed on each said cast metal bracket, a bushing mounted through each said leg, a wishbone-shaped upper control arm pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said bushings, an A-shaped lower control arm pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said cradle, an inverted U-shaped clevis connected at its upper end to the lower end of each said shock tube and its lower ends to opposite sides of said lower control arm, and a steering knuckle mounted between center portions of said upper and lower control arms.
 6. The mounting structure described in claim 5, and a wheel mounting hub and brake device mounted on an outer face of said steering knuckle.
 7. The mounting structure described in claim 1, and a plurality of threaded openings formed in each said cast metal bracket.
 8. For mounting to a vehicle body having oppositely disposed integral strut towers, a mounting structure comprising right and left suspension assemblies, a cradle operatively connected therebetween, guide means secured on each of said suspension assemblies, said mounting structure adapted to being mounted as a unit into said vehicle body with said guide means guiding the suspension assemblies into engagement with said oppositely disposed strut towers, and fastener means located separate from said guide means for securing said suspension assemblies to said strut towers, wherein each said strut tower includes outer and inner interconnected, spaced apart wall members separated by spacers, a plurality of aligned openings formed through said outer and inner spaced apart wall members, a pair of guide openings formed in said inner wall member, and an opening formed through said outer and inner wall members in the central portion thereof intermediate said pair of guide openings.
 9. The mounting structure described in claim 8, wherein each said guide means pilots into said pair of guide openings.
 10. The mounting structure described in claim 8, wherein said fastener means are extended through said plurality of aligned openings.
 11. The mounting structure described in claim 10, wherein said fastener means consists of a plurality of bolts extended through said aligned openings and threadedly connected to each said suspension assembly.
 12. The mounting structure described in claim 11, wherein each said suspension system includes a cast metal bracket having a plurality of threaded openings formed therein for threadedly receiving said plurality of bolts.
 13. For mounting to a vehicle body having oppositely disposed integral strut towers, a mounting structure comprising right and left suspension assemblies, a cradle operatively connected therebetween, guide means secured on each of said suspension assemblies, said mounting structure adapted to being mounted as a unit into said vehicle body with said guide means guiding the suspension assemblies into engagement with said oppositely disposed strut towers, and fastener means located separate from said guide means for securing said suspension assemblies to said strut towers, wherein said fastener means includes threaded openings formed in said suspension assemblies, and bolts extended through said strut towers into said threaded openings. 